The VSCC In Wales

The VSCC has a liking for Wales as trials territory and its traditional event, the two-day road and hill-storm fixture, took place as usual in October. Dating back to 1939, this year’s “Welsh” had an entry of over 100 for the Trial, 34 for the Navigation road exercise. Dry days had made most of the hills easy and the compulsory 200-mile straight-lines run on the Saturday must have seemed tedious to those in vintage light cars, the uncongested Welsh roads and fine scenery apart. It is incorporated to discourage freak trials-cars, but may have defeated its original intention, although it did cost marks for several cars. We heard of only two who had problems, Seymour Price’s 1929 A7 shearing a half-shaft key and Miss Boddy’s 1927 A7 stopping for a while near the finish with a choked jet. Both recovered to compete in the trial.

This involved 11 sections, most of them used previously but New Nor’s an easy one. Forest Gate stopped most about halfway up; Simon Diffey made the best climb, in his 1929 A7, and Moy’s 1929 A7 Special got almost as far up. Forest Wood was “cleaned” by most, but Clog Hill was difficult, many failing very low down and Moffat’s Bugatti getting an “0”; best here was Stringer’s irrepressible 1928 A7. Cwmgilla was easy and nearly everyone got up New Nor’s although Dr Teague’s 1929 A7 failed early. Lloyd’s was moderately kind, most of the unlucky stopping around half-marks distance. Cwmheyope gave little trouble but failed the mighty Mercedes Maybach, and Railway with its steep first corner failed a few. It all ended at Pilleth where a generous free car-park is welcomed by the great concourse of spectators. Three grass climbs here, not difficult, Collings in his aero-engined monster storming up them. Bad luck though for Chris Gould, who overturned his A7 Chummy while reversing downhill. Chryslers are coming on, for trials: Baxter’s 1930 car was an award winner, Browning ventured four-up in his, a 1925 car as the early radiator proclaimed, and Miller and Parker entered 1930 models. Plevan’s GE A7 sported an impressive external exhaust-pipe, and it was interesting to see Hancock’s 1924 5.7-litre sleeve-valve Daimler again performing well in an unusual element.

Mark Garfitt was an official here and watching at his hill we observed that Piercy’s 1930 Trojan had changed to slightly larger rear wheels for the trial, that there are subtle differences even in the many Chummy A7s competing, that Riley’s Model-A Ihd Ford saloon had a tool-box between what would have been its front dumb-irons if it was not transversely suspended, and that Hamilton-Gould’s rhd Model-A Tudor Ford, headlamps shimmying as it patiently ticked over, performed with the disdain these cars used to show on the outbacks of America, although it jibbed at Pilleth 3. Lemon, in the ‘1914 30-98, saves weight by sitting on a basketwork seat.

The Navigation run saw the Barkers’s rare Arab need replacement of a differential peg; it continued, but with eight other crews was outside the time-limit, while retirements eliminated the OM and a Lea-Francis. W B

Results:

Trial: Harry Bowler Trophy: Simon Difiey (A7). 199 marks

Presteigne Trophy: Clive Miller (Chrysler). 190 marks

Smatcher Trophy: (hest in adversity): David Moore (A7) First-Class Awards: T Goding (A7), P Longhurst (Riley), M Joseland (Frazer Nash), S Baxter (Chrysler), B Collings (Bentley), J Diffey (30-98), Second-Class Awards: S Price (A7), J Flann (A7), Jane Tomlinson (GN-A7), R Low (A7), B Faulkner (Riley), J Ghosh (30-98), C Hancock (Daimler), W Urry (Riley). P Cassidy (Riley), J Persival (Bentley), D Bond (Morris), N Garland (30-98) Third-Class Awards: C Knill-Jones (A7), H Stringer (A7), 1: Giles (Frazer Nash). P Milne-Taylor (AJS), Christine Bennett (A7), G Fiskin (Frazer Nash). R Hickling (Dodge), B Reeves (Ford). A JedderFisher (30-98). D Marsh (30-98), J Thring (AC) Navigation Run: Jubilee Mug: J Gill/R Chapman (Lea Francis). Novices Award: G Walker/Mrs Walker (Alvis).

First-Class Awards: J Potter/B Hughes (Avis), M & P Cole (Riley). Hanna/Mrs Littler (Riley).

Second-Class Awards: C Podger/ I Dobinson (Alvis), P Hyland/A Atkinson (Alvis), A Dicker /C Littler (Riley). C Gill/Mrs Cork (Lea Francis).

Third-Class Awards: Miss Arnold-Forster! R Buxton (Alvis) R Britcher/D Roberts (Lancia), R Prest/J Warburton (Alm).